Pages

Monday, December 29, 2008

Duty day... 28 Dec '08

Yep, it's time for another duty day....

This morning seemed eerie for some reason, the script was the same, alarm clock, shower, get dressed, head out for work... When i was standing at the front door getting my jacket out of the closet, it almost seemed that the next thing that was suppose to happen was a "thump, thump, thump" outside my front door. I looked out the window before heading into the garage, it was a little foggy, everything was wet.

I headed out the side door and opened the garage door. It is unusually warm for a December morning. I take off my jacke, grab my backpack and walk out to the car. On days I have duty, I normally make a stop at Walgreens and buy water, a magazine, and something to snack on throughout the duty day. Once I get into the Walgreen parking lot there is only one car vise the usual 3. The wind is slightly blowing papers around the parking lot scracthing the surface as they float slightly above the ground. I walk in the door and do not see or hear anyone. I get my items and as I am picking up a tube of chapstick a lady behind me ask, "are you ready?" I say not yet and walk to the magazines. I then hear laughter and talking at the front of the store, as I approach the register the same lady is saying her good mornings to the young couple who have come in to drop off the morning newspapers for sale. I pay as they stack the papers and then they walk out the door. I walk out not even a minute later expecting to see the young couple backing out of their space~ nothing... no one... just the same papers blowing in the wind as they were when I first came into the store... I look back into the store and the lady behind the register has already disappeared back down the aisle to continue working. I look around me and then over to the street the runs in front of the store. There are no cars driving down the road, or sitting at the lights.. Other than the paper scraping the ground I can also hear the buzzing of the neon lights from the mexican restaraunt I frequent at least twice a month. I feel like I am in the twilight zone and something, and I am waiting for it to happen....

I get in my car and continue my drive to work. My second stop is 7-11 for my morning coffee, it to seems deserted, I see the two clerks laughing inside, but it is complete silence out here. I look at my surroundings before getting out of the car and then open my door. Out of nowhere a man appears, slim white guy, gotee, small diamond in his ear wearing a light blue t-shirt and jeans... I am startled and can't help but to stare, he says hello and walks into the store before me. I go inside make my coffee while he gets a soda. I pay first and walk out the store, he walks out directly behind me. I look down on my console to ensure I don't spill my coffee while putting it into the cup holder. by the time I glance back up~ the man in the blue t-shirt is gone... no cars are leaving, I don't see him anywhere, where did he go??? It's weird how my day has gone so far and I'm only in my first 2 hours of it!

I pull out of the parking lot, turn right at the light just in time to see the blue t-shirt guy disappear into a dry cleaning facility that launders linen. I continue my drive to work I decide I will drive down the main road in hopes of finding a spot right up front, I get lucky. Grab my things and head down to start what has turned out to be a long day of duty.. Can't wait until Friday...